These lemon raspberry cheesecake bars with a graham cracker crust are so delicious, everyone will be asking for the recipe!
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A few days ago, I had a couple blocks of Philadelphia cream cheese sitting in the refrigerator, just waiting to be made into something scrumptious. I mean, sure, I could just use the cream cheese on a bagel, but let's get creative instead! Note: I am not an affiliate for Philadelphia cream cheese, but itβs the absolute best and the only one I use. Just sayin'β¦
After just a few minutes, I came up with the idea of making lemon raspberry cheesecake bars. The creamy sweet deliciousness of cheesecake pairs perfectly with the sweet/tart of lemon and raspberries, for a match made in heaven. I mean, who doesn't love a lemon dessert? Like my lemon blackberry bread, lemon meringue pie, or lemon lavender cookies, all washed down with a tall glass of watermelon lemonade with rosemary! And if you're looking for another fun twist on cheesecake, these strawberry cheesecake cookies look amazing!
Case in point: Erich doesnβt have much of a sweet tooth, but heβs enjoyed these cheesecake bars every night, for three nights in a row (okay, I have too)! Youβre gonna want to make extraβ¦
π§Ύ Ingredients
Graham cracker crust
- Graham crackers
- Salted butter
- Granulated sugar
Lemon cheesecake
- Cream cheese
- Lemon zest
- Granulated sugar
- Sour cream
- Lemon juice
- All purpose flour
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
Raspberry swirl
- Raspberries
- Granulated sugar
See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
π₯ Raspberry puree
Preheat oven to 350β.
In a small sauce pot over low heat, add raspberries and sugar. Gently mash berries with a fork and mix with sugar for about 3 minutes, until it reaches the consistency of a runny preserve. Let cool.
π§ Graham cracker crust
In a food processor, pulse crackers and sugar until fine crumbs. Place in a bowl and mix together with melted butter, using a fork.
Using your fingers, press graham cracker crust evenly into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake crust for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool a few minutes.
π° Cheesecake filling
Using a stand mixer with flat beater attachment or a handheld electric mixer, add cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest, and mix well. Next, add sour cream, lemon juice, flour, and vanilla extract, and mix again. Lastly, add eggs and mix until smooth.
π Assembling the layers
Pour cheesecake mixture on top of graham cracker crust and spread out evenly using a rubber spatula. Add spoonfuls of raspberry mixture in several places on top of the cheesecake.
Swirl raspberry mixture into cheesecake, using a chopstick.
Bake for 35 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Tip: Cut and serve cheesecake bars using a thin flat metal spatula.
Love cheesecake? Check out my other delicious cheesecake recipes!
Did you make this Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Bars recipe? Let us know in the comments below!
π Recipe
Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 10 ounces graham crackers
- 1 stick salted butter
- ΒΌ cup granulated sugar
Lemon Cheesecake
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ΒΌ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ΒΌ cup all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 Β½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Raspberry Swirl
- β cup raspberries (about 20 large berries)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350β.
- In a small sauce pot over low heat, add raspberries and sugar. Gently mash berries with a fork and mix with sugar for about 3 minutes, until it reaches the consistency of a runny preserve. Let cool.
- In a food processor, pulse crackers and sugar until fine crumbs. Place in a bowl and mix together with melted butter, using a fork.
- Using your fingers, press graham cracker crust evenly into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.
- Using a stand mixer with flat beater attachment or a handheld electric mixer, add cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest, and mix well. Next, add sour cream, lemon juice, flour, and vanilla extract, and mix again. Lastly, add eggs and mix until smooth.
- Pour cheesecake mixture on top of graham cracker crust and spread out evenly using a rubber spatula. Add spoonfuls of raspberry mixture in several places on top of cheesecake and swirl using a chopstick.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Tip: Cut and serve cheesecake bars using a thin flat metal spatula.
Notes
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Mel
This recipe was easy and delicious! Iβm typically not a cheesecake person, but the fruit flavors are so vibrant and fresh that itβs not just cheesecake, itβs a taste of summer. My husband, parents, and coworkers all raved about how great it is!
maplewoodroad
Thank you so much! We're so happy that you all enjoyed it!